Skyline carriage



Dec. 23, 1952 E. o. NAUD 2,622,744

SKYLINE CARRIAGE Filed July 17, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR ERNEST O-NAUD Dec. 23, 1952 E. O. NAUD SKYLINE CARRIAGE Filed July 17 1950 an \I/2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR ERNEST O- NAUD ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1952UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SKYLINE CARRIAGE Application July 17, 1950,Serial No. 174,253

(Cl. 2l2109) 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in skyline carriages, which areparticularly adapted for use in the logging industry where it is desiredto transport logs for a greater distance than a single span or skyline.

The objects of the invention are to provide a carriage capable ofpassing skyline hangers or supports without danger of derailment; toprovide automatic latching of the load to the carriage when raised to adesired height; to automatically release the load when the carriagereaches the point of delivery; to provide means whereby lighter cablesmay be used than in present conventional logging methods, and further toautomatically hold the carriage station ary at each end of its set run.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of theinvention, part in section.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a modified form of the load hook.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of loadrelease adapted to release the load before the carriage is brought torest against its cable stops.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail view showing one of the load supports.

Figure 7 is a plan view, part in section, showing the trip wedge andengaging rollers.

In the drawings like characters of referenceindicate corresponding partsin each figure.

The numeral l indicates generally a skyline supported from hangers 2which in turn are supported from spar trees left standing on one or bothsides of the clearing through which logs felled are to be transported toa point of delivery. The clearing is obviously as straight as can beconveniently made, so as to keep the skyline reasonably straight as itleads to and from each hanger 2.

Movably mounted upon the skyline l is a 05- riage generally indicated bythe numeral 5. The carriage 5 is formed with two spaced side plates 6and 'l and an inverted channel shaped hook B which is connected to theside plate 1 and extendsover the top of the carriage and down towardsthe top edge of the side plate 6, defi a slot or opening H]. A pair oftrack sheaves l2 are journalled upon pins M which are supported in thesides l5 and it of the hood 8 and these sheaves ride upon the skyline las shown in Figures 1 and 2. A pin ll extends outwardly from the wall Itof the hood 8 and a keeper I3 having a depending tongue I9 is rockinglymounted on the pin I! and is fitted at its upper end with an arm 28. Apair of opposed springs 2! are anchored at their outer ends to the hood8 and at their inner ends to the free end of the arm 26 to normally holdthe tongue [9 of the keeper 13 in a vertical position bridging theopening Ill to prevent the carriage from jumping off the skyline throughaccidental dropping of the carriage supported load or from any othercause. Rockingly mounted on the pins I4 are keepers 22, each having atongue 23 which also bridges the opening it asabove described. Thekeepers 22 are normally held in erect position as shown by springs 25anchored to the pin ll.

A main line sheave 2'! is journalled substantially in the centre of thecarriage and a complementary idler sheave 28 is journalled closethereto. runs which serves to hoist a load to the carriage and also todraw the carriage and its load along the skyline I in one direction.Secured to the carriage end of the main line 29 is a heavy weight 36having a shackle 31 at its lower end to which any desired type of butthook may be secured. The weight is a circular elongated body in the formof a plurality of superposed truncated cones 33 and is adapted to passthrough a pair of mated members 34 each having steps 35 which coincidewith the bases of the truncated cones 33 and act as dogs to support theweight and its load when said members are closed upon the weight. Themembers 3d are mounted on horizontally movable shafts 31 which arecarried in apertured lugs 38. A spring 39 is fitted to each of theshafts 31 to urge the members 34 towards each other.

Connected with the shafts 37 by rocking levers M are spring projectedbumpers 42 and 43, both of which are mounted for horizontal movement andextend beyond the end of the carriage 5. The inner ends of the bumpers42 and 43 are condt sether by a pair of push rods 44 having a rockinglever 45 interposed between them to Over these two sheaves a main line29- cause the bumpers to move simultaneously and in opposite directions.

Disposed at each end of the carriage 5 is a latching member 41 which isadapted to be engaged by a pivotally mounted latch 48 having a hand line49 and carried by a stop block 50. Two stop blocks 50 (one only shown inFigure 1) are adjustably fitted at appropriate positions on the skylineI. These blocks are of any desired construction and support a sheave 5|for supporting the hauling line 52, which latter is connected to the endof the carriage remote from the point of attachment of the main line.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the numeral 60 indicates a baseportion of the carriage 5, the main line 29 is fitted with a loadcarrying weight 62 which is surmounted by a single cone 63 and hasfitted to its lower end a load carrying shackle 65. Reciprocatory loadlatching members 66 are slidably mounted in the base portion 66 formovement in opposite directions to each other to selectively hold theweight and its 1oad in raised position as shown, or to release them whenthe carriage abuts one of the stop blocks 55], at the end of thecarriage run on the skyline, with one of its bumpers as shown in Figure1.

In the modification shown in Figures 4 to 7 inelusive, the load carryingweight is indicated by the numeral 10 and is connected to the main line29. The load carrying weight I is provided with an inverted shoulderportion 12 below which a fall line 13 depends. The side plates 6 and Iof the carriage are slotted upwardly on opposite sides of the loadcarrying weight as at 15 and mounted upon hinge lugs 15 adjacent thelower end of said slots are vertical arms 11. The arms 11 extend to apoint somewhat below the level of the skyline I where they pass throughthe carriage and are tensioned by springs 78 to resiliently maintainsaid arms in vertical position. A bracket 19 extends inwardly from eachof the arms T! and is fitted with a roller 8|, which roller is adaptedto come to rest under the shoulder portion '12. Mounted upon the upperor free end of each of the arms 1! are freely rotatable wheels 83, thesewheels are slightly spaced apart as shown in Figure 4.

Demountably connected to the skyline I, preferably in close proximity tothe stop block 55, is a trigger 85 which is fitted with a cable clamp85. The trigger is preferably diamond shaped in plan as shown in Figure'7 so as to thrust the wheels apart as they ride along the sides of thetrigger.

When the load carrying weight, as shown in Figures 4 to 7 inclusive, isused, the bumpers 42 and 43 and their linkage will not be necessary asthe load will be automatically released as the carriage passes a trigger85, causing the rollers 8| of the brackets 79 to pull away from underthe shoulder 12 of the weight 10.

It is intended in using this carriage to depart from the usual loggingmethods by using the main line to raise the load and haul the carriageback into the woods to the set being immediately logged and to use theso-called haul back line to draw the load and carriage to the point ofdelivery, so that when transporting logs down hi1 to tide water thepower to transport the load will be light and the cable or linenecessary to move it will be considerably less than that normallyemployed.

The hauling line 52 and the main line 29 are wound upon separate drumsof a donkey engine in the usual way and are controlled thereby.

In operation, the carriage is drawn by the main line 29 to the set orarea being logged and as it reaches the adjustable stop block 50 itsbumper 43 engages said stop and the latching member 41 becomes engagedby the adjacent pivoted latch 48. The bumper movement causes the matedmembers 34 to separate and the latching engagement holds the carriageagainst movement, the Weight 39 being freed from support by the members34 will draw the end of the main line 29 downwardly as its drum isreleased for rotation, so that a load may be attached to the butt hookor other device connected to the shackle 3|. As the load is attached andthe main line is drawn in to raise said load, the truncated cones willpass upwards between the mated members 34 and become latched againstdownward movement as shown in Figure 1, then when a pull is exerted uponthe pivoted latch line 49 the carriage may be withdrawn from theadjacent stop block 50. The main line is then paid out and the haulingline 52 is wound upon its drum to draw the carriage and its load to thepoint of delivery, where the contact between the bumper and the thenadjacent stop will allow the main line to be paid out further and theload to be lowered.

The operation of the device as shown in Figures 4 to '7 inclusive is asfollows. The carriage 5 is hauled to the set or the point where it is tobe loaded and on reaching this spot and passing the trigger 85, thecarriage is held against returning while the weight 10 and its load line73 are lowered to pick up a new load. As the new load is attached to theline 13, the main line 29 is held against endwise movement and thehauling line 52 is hauled in, first to move the carriage 5 past thetrigger and then to cause the weight 10 and the load line 13 to belifted upwardly towards the carriage. As the weight passes upwardsbetween the rollers 8|, the weight and its load become suspended readyfor transit to the point of discharge, the line 29 is then allowed torun as the line 52 is wound in to move the carriage and its load throughto the trigger at the discharge end. The weight is again released sothat the load may be lowered to the ground.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A skyline carriage comprising a frame having side members, a pair oftrack sheaves mounted in the frame and adapted to run upon a skyline, aload sheave mounted in the frame, a load cable extending from a sourceof haulage over said load sheave and downwardly through the carriage, ahauling line attached to said frame, said load cable having a weight anda hook adjacent its free end, said weight being adapted to be containedwithin the frame when the hook is raised, a swing arm fulcrumed in eachside member of the frame, each of said arms being pivoted adjacent thelower edge of the frame, and having a part resiliently urged towards thevertical portion of the load cable, said weight being adapted to spreadsaid parts of the arms, which arms engage the weight as said weight isretracted into the carriage and engage said weight to hold the hook inclose proximity to the underside of the carriage, and means suspendedfrom the skyline to cause said arms to separate to release the weightand allow the hook and load cable to descend.

2. A skyline carriage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the arm partsengaging the weight are rollers and the weight is provided with ashoulder against which the rollers rest when the weight is in raisedposition.

3. A skyline carriage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means upon theskyline is a horizontal member substantially pointed at each end, withsaid pointed ends supported in substantial alignment with the skyline.

4. A skyline carriage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper end ofeach of the arms is fitted at its upper end with a wheel and the meanssuspended from the skyline is a horizontal diamond shaped trigger thesides of :which are normally mounted in the path of said wheels wherebythe arms are spread apart to release the weight and hook as the carriageis drawn past the diamond shaped trigger.

ERNEST O. NAUD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

